Lightning suspends Friars-Flyers title game, tied at 7
Chaminade goalie John Connors makes a save against St. Anthony's William Gilmartin during the NSCHSAA AAA championship at C.W. Post. (May 27, 2010) Credit: Richard Slattery
Though both goalies were on their game, there was no defense for lightning last night at C. W. Post's Hickox Field in the Class AAA CHSAA boys lacrosse championship.
At 6:50 p.m., a series of lightning bolts that crackled across a darkening sky forced stoppage of a riveting defensive duel between archrivals Chaminade and St. Anthony's that was tied at 7 with 6:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. The game will be resumed from that point Friday at 4 p.m. at St. John the Baptist High School.
By state rule, a game stopped for lightning cannot be restarted until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike. Hickox Field doesn't have lights, and when more bolts were seen after the initial stoppage, pushing back the anticipated restart, officials determined the game would not be continued last night.
The athletic directors from both schools, Don Buckley of St. Anthony's and Don Scarola of Chaminade, conferred with their respective coaches and game officials. Both made numerous cell phone calls to find a suitable site and time for the continuation of what had been an intense and well-played game. Each coach wanted the game to be resumed as soon as possible.
"Both teams are in the same situation. Who knows, we could get three overtimes out of this," said St. Anthony's coach Keith Wieczorek.
That's because the teams are so evenly matched. They split their two regular-season meetings and neither led by more than two goals last night. The Flyers grabbed a 5-3 lead on Sean Mahon's solo dash from behind the net with 5.5 seconds left in the first half.
The Friars tied it on goals by Christian Bennardo and Colin Clive early in the third quarter. Shane Thornton's second of the game put Chaminade ahead 6-5 with 28.2 seconds left in the third. But Princeton-bound senior Tom Schreiber, playing his final high school game, scored his fourth of the game on a quick dodge move and low rocket to make it 6-6 with 9:58 left in the fourth.
Chaminade went back on top on another goal by Thornton, but Schreiber set up Brendan Schroeder in the slot to make it 7-7 with 6:33 left. Seconds later, lightning struck, leaving the game tied and ratcheting up the tension for today's resumption of action.
"A terrific game," Chaminade coach Jack Moran said, "but pretty typical of Chaminade and St. Anthony's."
'We had absolutely no idea what happened to her' What began as a desperate hunt for Shannan Gilbert in the marshes near Gilgo Beach became, in three astonishing days in December 2010, the unmasking of a possible serial killer. NewsdayTV's Doug Geed has more.
'We had absolutely no idea what happened to her' What began as a desperate hunt for Shannan Gilbert in the marshes near Gilgo Beach became, in three astonishing days in December 2010, the unmasking of a possible serial killer. NewsdayTV's Doug Geed has more.
